Melody Hedden has been named the next Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Tri-Valley Opportunity Council in Crookston.
Hedden has dedicated her career to the human services field for the past 26 years. After graduating from high school in a small town of Franklin, North Carolin in 1994 she began working for the local Head Start program as a Family Service Advocate. After 11 years of serving in that role, she was promoted to Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment and Attendance (ERSEA) Specialist.
After three years in the role, while earning an associate degree in human services from Southwestern Community College, she relocated her family to Crookston to accept a position with Tri-Valley Opportunity Council as its Head Start Family & Community Services Manager. “I started out here at Tri-Valley about, I guess, 12 years ago. I moved from North Carolina and started as a family services manager for the Head Start program, and worked for about nine years,” said Hedden. “I wanted to go back home down south to be around family, and did that for a couple of years. But like six months in, I realized, you know what? It doesn’t feel like family like I thought. The sense of community we felt here in Crookston couldn’t be replicated back down south. So when the position opened up, I jumped on it. I was thrilled to return. The sense of community we felt and belonging, it’s amazing.”
After five years with the program, she was promoted to Assistant Director of Program Services. During this time, she earned her master’s degree in human services. She spent four years in this position before transitioning to Head Start Director for Western Kentucky University. Hedden said she wanted to take the CEO position to help others break the cycle of poverty like she did. “I love the Community Actions mission of breaking the cycle of generational poverty. I grew up in a situation where my family was in poverty, and I was trying to break that cycle,” said Hedden. “So with the help of Tri-Valley, I was able to do that. And I wanted to give back because I know what it feels like to walk in some of the shoes that the people we serve walk in. So this was a great way for me to be a part of that.”
Hedden added that the Government shutdown showed Tri-Valley needs to be ready at all times. “With the government shutdown, I think it was an eye opener for us all that we need to be proactive,” said Hedden. “So a big thing on my agenda is making sure that we’re able to carry on during those difficult times, set aside money the best we can to help those that we serve, so they do not experience a crisis at a local level.”
Hedden said Tri-Valley can help people in need, or at least put them with someone in contact with somebody that can help if Tri-Valley cannot. “If there are any needs in your family, if we can’t help meet those, we will align you with somebody that can. We’ll make those connections,” said Hedden. “So child care, job, housing, heating, anything that a family is really in need of and it’s a crisis situation, we want to hear from those families. Because if we can’t help you with those resources, we will definitely link you with someone that can.”
Hedden began her new role as CEO on December 1, replacing Jason Carlson.
Tri-Valley Opportunity Council, Inc. is a non-profit community action agency headquartered in Crookston, Minn. In existence since 1965, Tri-Valley provides services in 74 counties in Minnesota and Eastern North Dakota. The mission of Tri-Valley is to provide opportunities to improve the quality of life for people and communities.For more information on services offered and job opportunities at Tri-Valley visit the website at www.tvoc.org, follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TVOCInc or on Twitter at @TriValley_TVOC.